Beauty and The Beta (Bailey) novel Chapter 87

Chapter 87 – Asher
I am forced to sit in the hospital room with Eden and Bailey when all I want to do is be alone. I had planned to call in to see how Eden was doing and if there had been any update as to when they planned to induce her labor, and thought I might try to cheer her up with a little fruit hamper made by one of my mother’s friends. Needless to say, with the delightful mood Eden was in at present, that had gone down the same way a gift of an atomic bomb would have done. But, still, Caleb would have some tasty snacks when he had to sit and listen to her complaining when he was spending time with her.
I am usually happy to sit and spend a little time with her, chatting, giving Caleb a little chance to go home and take a shower, visit Matty or do some work. I know he hated Eden being on her own and, other than returning home to sleep, he ensured that she had someone with her all the time at the hospital, so she wasn’t lonely. In truth, Eden would likely appreciate the peace…
But, the moment Caleb walked back into the hospital room with Bailey in tow, I wanted to escape. All my thoughts have been of that bl**dy girl of late. Messed up thoughts too. Worried sick about her. Trying to uncover who that had been at the end of the phone the other night… I mean, I had my suspicions, but they had been exactly that, suspicions, and without Bailey willing to talk to me, I couldn’t confirm them.
But, it had truly got inside my head the way he had been with her. The way it had affected her. Hurt her. Nobody should be talking to her like that. I couldn’t understand why he had felt he
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was okay to speak to her like that… and what bothered me greatly was what sort of threat he posed to Bailey now she was in our pack…
And then came the even more punishing questions that I struggled even harder to answer, as to why my wolf had reacted the way he had to her. Why he had felt such an urge to protect her. Yet, I couldn’t lie, I had felt the same urge. And a pain when she had pushed me away. A sense of betrayal to Isla when everyone kept trying to imply there were feelings there. I don’t know her well enough for there to be feelings there. I know that much.
something I do know, for the sake of my own sanity, and
that of my wolf too, it would be better for the two of us to
stay apart. She had been through enough, it seemed, and she did not need any additional complications of rumors being started by the likes of things being implied by others. Nor did she need me upsetting her with my temper…
So, I sat in almost silence while Bailey chatted enthusiastically with Eden. Her face lit up as she smiled at her. Her eyes almost sparkled, as her delicate features changed as she smiled. I couldn’t help but notice how well the two of them got along. Maybe that was one of the reasons Eden had clung to the idea of Bailey coming to our pack. She saw a potential friend in her. She had lost her friend, Kasia, late last year during childbirth, and she had struggled every day with it since. She didn’t have many other female friends. And, I knew that she was often lonely, that was why she clung so desperately to Caleb.
Maybe when she realized she got along so well with Bailey, she thought there was a potential for a new friend. Someone to connect with. A friendship. Something she had been missing.
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Because, in that regard, it would likely do Eden good. I raised my gaze momentarily at the sound of the two of them laughing. “Well, I bought chocolate.” Bailey said, wiggling her eyebrows. toward Eden, with a big smile, offering her a bag. “And magazines.”
“See, this girl knows what gifts are. Not fruit.” She winked at Bailey, before sticking her tongue out at me.
I rolled my eyes at her. “Once again, you are welcome, Eden.”
“Did I ever tell you about this guy once knew, Bailey? He was so happy, cheerful, and a delight to know.” Eden began, with a sideways glance toward me. I had a feeling this was coming right back at me.
Bailey looked at Eden with curiosity, and shook her head.
“Always the joker of the group. Fun to be around, and always smiling. Kind, caring, and the sweetest guy you could ever meet.” Eden said with a smile. “Wouldn’t believe he turned into this old grumpy b**d would you?” she motioned her head toward me, with a grin.
I shook my head. I knew the moment she started with her insults she meant me. This was just the sort of thing we did. Her, Caleb and I. It was how our friendship was. “Thanks for that, Eden. Love you too. Pretty sure Bailey wasn’t after my resume.”
Eden chuckled. “Well, if she was, it would go something like that, would it not? Asher Alcott, Beta of the pack, grumpy old b**d, with a face to match. Dark and mysterious with a face like a smacked a**. Face sure to c**k if he attempted to smile and no clue how to mix with other people. Interaction with
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people limited. Do not expect conversation. If you want help, bring chocolate to bribe.”
Bailey was looking down. I could see her biting her lip. I don’t know if she was trying not to smile, or she was feeling uncomfortable. But this sort of teasing was usual for Eden and I. It was nothing I wasn’t used to, and it truly didn’t bother me.
“Sounds like a perfect man.” I smiled sarcastically at her. “But if I am so unappealing, am I excused to leave now?”
“Jeez, anyone would think I held you here at gunpoint, Ash. Just go if being here with me is so bad.” Eden dismissed me with a flick of her hand. “Do me a favor though. Ask Caleb to bring me my hospital bag later. They are probably going to try inducing labor tomorrow.”
I sighed. I couldn’t really be angry with her, I knew she was worried about it all, and who wouldn’t be? She had to push a little pup out of her any day now. That had to be scary. Let alone. having to do that with Caleb by her side trying hard to encourage her, which would likely be more an annoyance than an encouragement. “No worries. Anything else you need, sweetheart?” I asked.
“A way to fast-forward time, so baby could be here, and I didn’t have to go through labor?” she said with a smile.
“I wish I could do that for you Eden, I truly do, but despite my mean and moody looks, I don’t hold any magic skills. You will have the best care, and you know you will. You did amazing when you had Matty.” I reassured her, and I saw tears in her eyes, while Bailey was sitting on the edge of her bed, her eyes darting between Eden and I. I hated seeing her struggle. I knew this birth scared her so much more than Matty’s ever had.
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because of what had happened to her friend.
“But he was massive Ash, this one is even bigger, I am sure of it. And I have to push it out of me, while Caleb stands there and makes weird panting and puffing noises trying to help me breathe. Or he is telling me how gross things look.” She said, looking like she wanted to cry, while I was somewhere between wanting to reassure her and trying not to laugh at her telling me what Caleb is like when she is in labor. That did not surprise me in the slightest about my friend, he was like a big child sometimes.
“As much as he is a complete idiot sometimes, sweetheart, you know, it is only because he is excited, and sometimes his mouth works before his brain. Tell him you have heard of a thing called a silent birth, that way he won’t be able to talk at all.” I winked at her and she chuckled.
“Ash, you are funny.” She smiles at me, wiping away a lone tear slipping down her cheek.
“Not bad for a grumpy old b**d, I guess.” I shrugged. “I will leave you ladies to it. I will chase that mate of yours down, get him to hunt that hospital bag of yours down, maybe even give him a hint about what is appropriate to say when your mate is in labor, before I go out for my run, okay?”
Eden smiled once more at me, while Bailey briefly looked at me, a small smile on her face, though whether that was for me or not was hard to tell, but she quickly returned her gaze to the floor, like making eye contact with me burned her eyes or something… I don’t think things would ever be as they had been in my home with her again. Not that it would stop me worrying about her. She feels like part of our pack now, and I think that
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was why I worried about her. Yeah, that was it, the same as I would worry about any pack member. I am certain that was why.